In under a minute, he had already profiled everyone, zeroing in on the two who were definitely Special Category.
One carried a sword, just like Leon. The other's fists were wrapped in futuristic gloves with edges at the tips—a brawler type, no doubt.
Using the echoes of the tunnel, he picked up bits and pieces of their conversation and learned the names of the two agents.
The sword user was Jax, and the brawler was Nilo—which really didn't suit him, considering he was at least three inches taller than the rest.
'I should be more wary of that guy who uses his fists.'
Although weapons offer the advantage of range, someone who fights with their fists tends to react faster and move more flexibly.
With a shorter reach, they also stay more aware of their surroundings and know how to protect themselves.
There was an old saying in his world: anyone can kill with a gun, but only a few can kill with a fist.
Soon, they moved in the same direction as the first squad.
Francis followed, keeping a safe distance—especially in tight spaces like this, where every step could echo.
His small bristles helped muffle the sound, but it was better to be careful than dead.
Eventually, the new group reached the area where the first squad had been slaughtered.
There was no reaction—no pause, no tension.
Not because they were blind, but because they didn't even notice anything amiss.
The area had already been cleared, leaving only the corpses of the worms behind.
"The first squad clearly passed through here, so why aren't they back yet?" one of them pointed at the dead worms.
"Idiot," another muttered, shaking his head before continuing. "That's exactly why we're here. Speaking of which, I heard they've got a strong agent with them."
A short man replied, "You mean Master Sergeant Leon? I was told he was assigned here because he punched a superior during a mission."
"Yeah, he would've ended up in prison for insubordination if not for his brother, Lieutenant Lex. So spending a year in a sweeper squad actually saved him."
Francis caught snippets of their conversation and didn't know whether to be thrilled or pissed.
There were countless agents he could have killed—but somehow, he ended up eating the younger brother of a guy who once killed a giant lizard that basically breathed hot air.
This coincidence felt like he had spent the entire day avoiding a boss fight, only for it to show up at his doorstep.
He wasn't exaggerating. Comparing Leon to Lex was like comparing a pistol to a tank. He doubted anyone would want a tank hunting them down to settle a score.
Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, he heard something else that caught his attention.
"If they really got wiped out, that means there's an even stronger monster out here—so all of you, take this seriously and stop chattering,"
Nilo warned, his deep voice perfectly matching his size.
After his words sank in, everyone instantly went on guard.
Underground tunnels, tight spaces, and monsters—basically a nightmare combo no one signed up for.
Only the two Special Category members didn't seem the least bit concerned.
Maybe it was confidence in their own abilities—or maybe they just didn't want to show any weakness in front of the others.
Either way, this spelled bad news for Francis, who depended on sneak attacks to make up for being outnumbered.
'I need to be smarter. This won't be as easy as the last time.'
What was at stake here was more than just the potential liver—it was also his life. With two Special Categories, he would be at a disadvantage in a confrontation, even after his recent growth.
'If it gets too dangerous, I'll just escape to the surface and hunt normal humans.'
They moved deeper, and the same scene repeated itself—beast corpses scattered everywhere—until they reached the fourth clearing.
"Where are all the corpses?" Nilo asked.
This time, there was nothing at all. Not a single thing.
Or so they thought.
"Above!" Jax roared, swinging his sword in a deadly arc, while Nilo slammed his fists into the air, sending miniature shockwaves ripping through the space.
The others scrambled into position but held their fire, conserving bullets as they fell back, trusting their two teammates to handle the threat.
'Big mistake.'